The holiday season offers an overwhelming array of busyness to capture our time and attention. We need to choose to let peace enter our lives. To do that we have to make choices; to give up some busyness for things that feed the soul, to chose simpler over glitzy.
Sue and I were given the gift of peace through an opportunity that arose right after Thanksgiving. Nina and Maclane, Sue’s daughter in law and grandson, were in Sumter visiting Nina’s family. Josh, Sue’s son, was at home because he had to work. We asked if Maclane could spend the day and night with us while Nina and her mom shopped. We usually join the mass of shoppers ourselves trolling the stores, fighting for parking places, weary and exhausted at day’s end.

Instead of shopping I got to spend a precious, rare 24 hours with my amazing and sweet grand nephew who is four. We pitched a tent in the back yard, built a bonfire, made walking sticks, made s’mores (which Maclane declared way too messy) and roasted marshmallows.

The next morning we baked and decorated cookies—getting as much on ourselves as we did on the cookies. It was a very uncomplicated 24 hours filled with laughter and simple joys.

I wonder if the visit to Elizabeth brought the same peace to Mary’s life. In what must have been a busy Advent for Mary, she found time to be supported and loved by this kind older relative who obviously received Mary with love. No matter how much we have to do this season, we need to find those times to capture the simpler things and quieter moments, to feel God’s presence draw near and embrace us in the comforting peace of those God-filled moments of love.